Quick Start: Archivst Desktop

Install Archivst Desktop, link your account, and protect your first folder in just a few minutes.

Create accountOpen account settings
Prerequisites

Before you begin

  • Create an Archivst account and verify your email.
  • Set up an authentication code on your smartphone for secure logins.
  • Add credit to your account so backups can run.
  • Download and install Archivst Desktop from your account page.
What you'll do

Finish your first backup

Open Archivst Desktop, connect it to your account, choose a folder, decide how encryption is handled, and schedule an automatic backup so nothing gets missed.

All steps below work with the default dark theme, keeping text readable against the background.

Walkthrough

Backup in six steps

  • 1
    Launch Archivst Desktop.

    Search for “Archivst” in the Start Menu. If prompted to update, install the update to stay compatible with the cloud service.

  • 2
    Link the app to your account.

    Select the user icon in the top right. Sign in on the website that opens; once complete, you can return to the app and it will stay linked.

  • 3
    Pick a folder to protect.

    On the Backup tab, click the plus icon to add a folder. Choose Archivst-managed encryption for simplicity, or provide your own password if you want to manage the key yourself.

  • 4
    Select what to include.

    Files and folders are selected by default. Untick anything you don’t want stored. You can dive into subfolders to fine-tune the selection.

  • 5
    Filter and protect your budget.

    Use folder options to exclude patterns (for example *.tmp) or delay backing up frequently changing files so you don’t store unnecessary versions.

  • 6
    Schedule automation.

    Open the Schedule tab and choose when backups should run: Off, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly. Pick the times that suit your device usage.

Tip: If you choose your own encryption password, keep it safe. Archivst cannot recover data encrypted with a lost personal password.

Fine tune

Smart filtering

  • All Files / Exclude Files: switch to Exclude to ignore file types or folders using patterns like *.pdf or /archive*.
  • Only Files Changed: by default, files edited in the last three days wait before uploading. Switch to Allow All Files if you want immediate copies.
Stay scheduled

Automatic runs

  • Off: turn off automatic backups.
  • Hourly / Daily / Weekly / Monthly: choose the exact minute, time, day, or date that works for you.

Schedules are saved immediately—no need to restart the app after changes.

Get help fast

Support

Stuck on a step? Open the Support page, share the step you are on, and paste any log entries using the clipboard button in the Logs panel.

Contact support